of thing eats
out manhood and womanhood!"

Just what Dory often said! "My husband says," she answered, "that
whenever the world has got a fair start toward becoming civilized, along
have come wealth and luxury to smother and kill. It's very interesting to
read history from that standpoint, instead of taking the usual view--that
luxury produces the arts and graces."

"Dory is a remarkable man," said Ross with enthusiasm. "He's amazingly
modest; but there are some men so big that they can't hide, no matter how
hard they try. He's one of them."

Adelaide was in a glow, so happy did this sincere and just tribute make
her, so relieved did she feel. She was talking to one of Dory's friends
and admirers, not with an old sweetheart of hers about whom her heart,
perhaps, might be--well, a little sore, and from whom radiated a
respectful, and therefore subtle, suggestion that the past was very
much the present for him. She hastened to expand upon Dory, upon his
work; and, as she talked of the university, she found she had a pride
in it, and an interest, and a knowledge, too, which astonished her. And
Ross listened, made appreciative comments. And so, on and on. When
Henrietta came they were laughing and talking like the best of old
friends; and at Ross's invitation the three lunched at the club and
spent the afternoon together.

"I think marriage has improved Ross," said Henrietta, as she and Adelaide
were driving home together after tea--tea with Ross.

"Theresa is a very sweet woman," said Adelaide dutifully.

"Oh, I don't mean that--any more than you do," replied Henrietta. "I mean
marriage has chastened him--the only way it ever improves anybody."

"No doubt he and Theresa are happy together," said Adelaide, clinging to
her pretense with a persistence that might have given her interesting and
valuable light upon herself had she noted it.

"Happy?" Henrietta Hastings laughed. "Only stupid people are happy, my
dear. Theresa may be happy, but not Ross. He's far too intelligent. And
Theresa isn't capable of giving him even those moments of happiness that
repay the intelligent for their routine of the other sort of thing."

"Marriage doesn't mean much in a man's life," said Adelaide. "He has his
business or profession. He is married only part of each day, and that the
least important part to him."

"Yes," replied Henrietta, "marriage is for a man simply a peg in his
shoe--in place or, as with Ross Whitney, out of place.